Practical information

Preferably leave your car at home and take public transport, a bike or scooter, or come on foot. You can find the most efficient route at www.slimnaarantwerpen.be.

The vibrant heart of the weekend's festivities is located along the Scheldekaaien (Scheldt Quays), the Grote Markt, the MAS and the Schengenplein. From the city centre, this area can be reached on foot via the Meir, Suikerrui and the Scheldekaaien (Scheldt Quays). From Linkeroever (Left Bank), you can use the pedestrian tunnel (Sint-Anna tunnel) or Sint-Anna ferry to reach Rechteroever (Right Bank). From the Scheldekaaien (Scheldt Quays), you can walk past the ships towards the other event areas at Scheldekaaien Zuid (Scheldt Quays South), Steenplein, the MAS and Schengenplein.

Antwerp is easily accessible by train. Trains run from 4:30 AM until midnight at the stations Antwerp Central, Antwerp South, or Antwerp Berchem. Buses and trams also run regularly towards Antwerp and within the city itself.

You can find a comprehensive mobility plan covering public transport on Slim naar Antwerpen.

A (shared) bike, scooter or moped is the easiest way to get to the event. Plan your cycling route using the route planner or map. It will be busy during the event, including on the Sint-Annaveer and the DeWaterbus. So please leave your bike, scooter or moped in one of the extra bike parking facilities provided on both banks. These bike facilities are located at:

• Zuid (Zuidpark)
• Steenplein
• MAS (Godefriduskaai)
• Schengenplein
• Van Eedenplein (Linkeroever/Left Bank)

Visitors to The Tall Ships Races who use Donkey Republic shared bikes will receive a 20% discount on two journeys per user with the code 'TALLSHIPSRACES'. You can also reach the event using Velo bicycles or other shared mobility options.

Are you arriving with your own boat? Prepare your trip and dive into the online tool for the quickest access routes and best mooring spots.

Special arrangements apply for arrival and departure:

• 10/07 there is a dedicated lockage of the Kattendijksluis exclusively for TSR participants between 13:00-15:30
• 10/07 the evening lockage will be extended from 21:00-23:00 to be confirmed by the Flemish Waterways
• 14/07 the operating window of the Kattendijksluis is 12:45-15:00 exclusively for TSR participants
• 10/07 and 14/07 the Palingplaat jetty is only accessible to the Waterbus and TSR participants.
• During the other days of the event, the upstream inner section is reserved for the TSR.

From Linkeroever (Left Bank), you can reach Rechteroever (Right Bank) quickly and easily using the Sint-Anna ferry. It's free of charge and departs from the pontoon along Thonetlaan on Linkeroever (Left Bank).

Take DeWaterbus from the port, Hemiksem or Kruibeke to Steenplein in Antwerp. Or combine the route with the Hoboken-Kruibeke and Bazel-Hemiksem ferry services. You can purchase a ticket on board DeWaterbus or online. Find more information on the DeWaterbus website.

It will be busy during the event, including on the Sint-Annaveer and the DeWaterbus. So please leave your bike, scooter or moped in one of the extra bike parking facilities provided on both banks.

Would you rather come to the city by car? That is also a smart way to do it. For example, take a shared car or carpool with your friends.

Since August 1, 2023, the historic center has been located in a stricter parking zone where only residents with a parking permit and certain permit holders (healthcare providers, entrepreneurs, and car sharers) are allowed to park on the street.

Park your car easily and cheaply at one of the park and rides (P+Rs) on the outskirts of the city. From there, you can transfer to a tram, bus, or bicycle for a quick connection to the city center. All P+Rs are located outside the low-emission zone in Antwerp.

You can find more information about getting to Antwerp by car and taxi on the Slim naar Antwerpen website.